A. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a service providing apparatus for identifying a desirable service to be provided to a user from a large number of provided services such as broadcasting programs in a cable television (CATV), an interactive television and the Internet Relay Chat (IRC), and to a service receiving apparatus, a service providing host, a computer-readable recording medium for storing a selected-service receiving program, a computer-readable recording medium for storing a selected-service transmitting program, a service selecting method in a service receiving apparatus, and a method for transmitting a selected service in a service providing host.
More specifically, the present invention is directed to a service providing apparatus that is configured to select a service to be provided based on service utilization information of a plurality of users, a service receiving apparatus, a service providing host, a computer-readable recording medium for storing a selected-service receiving program, a computer-readable recording medium for storing a selected-service transmitting program, a service selecting method in a service receiving apparatus, and also to a method for transmitting a selected service in a service providing host.
B. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, various services such as broadcasting programs of a CATV, and open channels for IRC are available for accessing and are typically selected directly by users. However, there are many services available, specifically, there are hundreds of open channels found in IRC and therefore, it is difficult for individual users to select desirable services. In particular, when first attempting to use such services, users have an extremely difficult time learning about even the most basic of the services available. This problem is especially acute when attempting to use IRC. The reasons for such problems are easy to understand. In the CATV, since the programs are determined before broadcasting the programs, the users may obtain information concerning programming by referring to a program table in order to select desirable programs. On the other hand, with reference to IRC, there are no such program listings available which reveal the contents of conversations in the IRC programs, even when the main subjects on open channels are pre-determined in advance.
To solve the above-described difficulties which occur when a user attempts to select a service, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-86279 discloses a home terminal system for CAM This CATV home terminal system allows the services to be classified according to the contents thereof and the users to designate the classification, so that the number of services displayed on the screen will be reduced. Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-261609 discloses transmitting apparatus, receiving apparatus, and transmission/reception system for broadcasting program, in which the audience rating of programmed services is displayed, and the number of services is reduced to display on the screen in an order based upon increasing audience ratings. Furthermore, another system has been proposed, in which, while using specific phrases and theme music concerning in the contents of the services to be provided, specific services are selected from a large number of services, on behalf of users, and then the selected specific services are displayed on the screen. For instance, there is a system which allows a user to designate a keyword appearing in an open channel of IRC and produce a list of channels which include this keyword on the display screen.
However, in such the systems as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-86279 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-261609, when the users attempt to select desirable services, the number of services which will be displayed on the screen is slightly reduced so as to make the selection task a little easier. Further, in the conventional system where a keyword is designated the users, the users will have no chance to learn about such services that fall outside of the designated keyword.
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and therefore, has an object to provide a service providing apparatus, service receiving apparatus, a service providing host, a computer-readable recording medium for recording a selected-service receiving program, a computer-readable recording medium for recording a selected-service transmitting program, a service selecting method employed in the service receiving apparatus, and a method for transmitting a selected service in a service providing host, capable of selecting a desirable service from a large number of services, on behalf of a user, in order that the user can effectively access a service that has compatible information, and moreover the user can access all of the available services with little difficulty.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an information service includes a host and a plurality of receiving apparatuses connected to the host via a communication network. The receiving apparatuses is configured to request service information from the host and the host is configured to provide the service information in response to the request. The plurality of receiving apparatuses include a storage means for storing selection information relating to at least one separate service, selected service data and user data sets. A transmission means transmits the user data set and the selection information to the host. A receiving means receives the response from the host. The host includes a means for compiling and sorting the selection information to produce service utilization information based on the user data sets sent from the plurality of receiving apparatuses. A service selection means produces a list of selected services to be provided to the plurality of receiving apparatuses based on the service utilization information and the selection information. A response means transmits to the receiving apparatuses the service information where the service information is derived from the list of selected services.
Preferably, the host further includes an address database which includes a plurality of addresses. The addresses correspond to storage locations of a plurality of corresponding separate services including services on the list of selected separate services. The host also includes an address reading means for reading the plurality of addresses, identifying and reading each of the addresses corresponding to each separate service of the list of selected separate services.
Preferably, in each of the plurality of receiving apparatuses, the user data set further includes data relating to a corresponding one of the plurality of receiving apparatuses, data relating to user attributes, and data relating to utilization place.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a receiving apparatus is configured for connection to an information service and at least one of a plurality of separate services, where the information service provides information about the plurality of separate services, the information service including a host for providing the information service in response to a request from the receiving apparatus. Further, a plurality of the receiving apparatuses are connected to the host via a communication network. The receiving apparatus includes an input means for inputting selection information relating to at least one of the separate services. A storage means stores the service selection information and a user data set containing a selected service data. A transmission means transmits the user data set and the selection information to the host and transmits a request to the host for the information service. A reception means receives from the host the information service.
Preferably, the storage means is further configured to store service selection information identifying at least one of the separate services accessed by the receiving apparatus. As well, the receiving apparatus includes a display means for displaying the service selection information stored in the storage means.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a service providing host provides an information service to a plurality of receiving apparatuses connected to the host via a communication network. The receiving apparatuses are configured to connect to at least one of a plurality of separate services, where the information service provides information about the plurality of separate services. The host is configured to provide the information service in response to a request from any one of the receiving apparatuses. The host includes a reception means receiving from the plurality of receiving apparatuses predetermined user data sets and selection information relating to at least one of the separate services. A compiling means collects received ones of the user data sets and the selection information. A storage means stores the user data sets and the selection information and a compiling means searches and sorts the user data sets and the selection information in order to produce service utilization information. The service utilization information includes sorted information regarding usage of the separate services by the receiving apparatuses and sorted information from the user data sets. A service selecting means selects at least one of the separate services for each individual receiving apparatus based upon commonality between data in the service utilization information and data in the user data sets and the selection information transmitted from the individual receiving apparatus. A response means transmits identification of a selected one of the separate services to the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the present invention includes an address database into which addresses identifying storage location of each of the separate services is recorded and also includes an address reading means for reading an address of the selected one of the separate services selected by the service selecting means.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium has recorded thereon a selected service receiving program used in a receiving apparatus connected via a communication network to a host. The host provides an information service in response to a request sent from the receiving apparatus. The selected service receiving program is configured to perform the following steps within the receiving apparatus
A) transmitting a user data set containing a selected service data to the host in response to passage of a predetermined time intervals;
B) transmitting to the host selection information which includes identification of at least one of a plurality of separate services accessed by the receiving apparatus;
C) receiving a response from the host, the response including information related to at least one of the plurality of separate services, the at least one of the plurality of separate services selected by the host based upon sorting of a plurality of compiled ones of the user data sets and the selection information; and
D) receiving a response from the host in response to a newly selected one of the plurality of separate services being identified by the host.
Preferably, the user data set further includes data identifying a corresponding one of the receiving apparatus, data corresponding to user attributes and data corresponding to a utilization place.
Preferably, the selected service receiving program further performs the steps of:
receiving from the host service selection information relating to a plurality of identified ones of the separate services; and
means for selecting any one of identified ones of the separate services.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium has recorded thereon a selected service receiving program, used in a receiving apparatus connected via a communication network to a host for providing an information service in response to a request from the receiving apparatus. The selected service receiving program is configured to perform the following steps:
A) transmitting a user data set containing a selected service data to the host at predetermined time intervals;
B) transmitting to the host selection information relating to a separate service in response to the receiving apparatus selecting the separate service;
C) receiving and storing from the host an address of a second separate service in response to selection by the host of the second separate service, selection of the second separate service by the host based upon sorting and searching a compilation of a plurality of the user data sets and the selection information; and
D) receiving a new address of the second separate service in response to identification by the host of a change in the address.
Preferably, the user data set further includes: data identifying a corresponding one of the receiving apparatus, data corresponding to user attributes and data corresponding to a utilization place.
Preferably, the selected service receiving program further performs the steps of:
receiving from the host service selection information relating to a plurality of identified ones of the separate services; and
means for selecting one of the separate services.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium stores thereon a selected service transmitting program used in a host for providing a variety of separate services to a plurality of receiving apparatuses connected via a communication network. The selected service transmitting program is configured to conduct the steps of:
A) receiving predetermined user data sets containing selected service data from the plurality of receiving apparatuses within a predetermined time interval;
B) receiving service selection information from at least one of the plurality of receiving apparatuses;
C) compiling and sorting service utilization information based upon received data from the user data sets;
D) selecting appropriate separate services to be provided to the receiving apparatuses based upon the service utilization information and the service selection information; and
E) transmitting to the receiving apparatuses information identifying the appropriate separate services to the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the selected service transmitting program is further configured to perform the steps of:
receiving the user data sets, where the user data sets include data identifying a corresponding one of the receiving apparatuses and data related to user attributes; and
determining whether the user data set has been previously received from the same receiving apparatus
within the predetermined time and in response to a determination that the user data set has not been previously received, the user data set is added to the service utilization information in the compiling and sorting step.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, a computer-readable recording medium stores thereon a selected service transmitting program used in a host for providing a variety of separate services to a plurality of receiving apparatuses connected via a communication network. The selected service transmitting program is configured to perform the following steps:
A) providing an address database into which storage positions of the variety of separate services are registered in correspondence with the respective ones of the separate services;
B) receiving predetermined user data sets containing selected service data from the plurality of receiving apparatuses within predetermined time period;
C) receiving a service selection information from any one of the plurality of receiving apparatuses;
D) compiling and sorting service utilization information based upon information in the user data sets;
E) selecting the separate services to be provided to the receiving apparatuses based upon comparisons between the service utilization information and the received service selection information;
F) reading addresses from the address database, the address corresponding to the separate services selected in the selecting step; and
G) transmitting the address to the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the selection service transmitting program is further configured to conduct the steps of:
receiving from at least one of the receiving apparatuses selection information corresponding to a separate service selected by the at least one of the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the service utilization information is compiled and sorted based upon data relating to the separate services and the plurality of receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the user data set further contains data identifying a corresponding one of the receiving apparatuses, and the selected service transmitting program is further configured such that in response to receiving duplicate sets of the user data set, only one of the duplicate sets of the user data set is compiled into the service utilization information and sorted based upon the data identifying the corresponding one of the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the user data set further contains data corresponding to one of the receiving apparatus and data relating to user attributes, and the selected service transmitting program is further configured such that in response to receiving duplicate sets of the user data set, only one of the duplicate sets of the user data set is compiled into the service utilization information and sorted based upon the data corresponding to the receiving apparatus and data corresponding to the user attribute.
Preferably, the user data set further includes data corresponding to utilization place, utilization frequencies and user attributes, and the selected service transmitting program is further configured such that in response to receiving duplicate sets of the user data set, only one of the duplicate sets of the user data set is compiled into the service utilization information and sorted based data relating to the utilization place, the utilization frequencies and the user attributes.
In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention, there is a service selecting method for use in a plurality of receiving apparatuses in electronic communication with a host. The method coordinated by the host in response to communication with the receiving apparatuses. The receiving apparatuses are further configured to access any one of a plurality of separate services. The method comprises the steps of:
providing the host with a database identifying a plurality of the separate services accessible to the plurality of receiving apparatuses;
compiling service utilization information in the host based upon information from user data sets;
creating the selection information in the one of the receiving apparatuses;
receiving from the one of the plurality of receiving apparatuses a request for information and selection information;
selecting a group of the separate services from the service utilization information based upon a comparison of selection information and the service utilization information;
transmitting from the bast to the one of the plurality of receiving apparatuses the group of separate services selected in the selecting step;
transmitting at predetermined time intervals a user data set from the one of the receiving apparatuses to the host; and
updating the service utilization information in response to receiving the user data set.
Preferably, the service selecting method further includes the step of transmitting the user data set from the one of the receiving apparatuses in response to a user selecting one of the separate services from a corresponding one of the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the separate services correspond to internet chat channels.
Preferably, the user data set includes information concerning user attributes.
Preferably, the user data set includes information concerning location of the one of the receiving apparatuses.
Preferably, the user data set includes information concerning the one of the receiving apparatuses
Preferably, the receiving apparatuses are personal computers connected to the internet
Preferably, the host is a computer connected to the internet.
Preferably, the host performs the updating step at second predetermined time intervals.
Preferably, the second predetermined time interval is greater than the predetermined time interval in the transmitting step.
In the above described aspects of the present invention, when the user data sets containing a
predetermined items are transmitted from a plurality of receiving apparatuses to a host, the host processes the utilization information of the services with respect to a predetermined item contained in the user data set. When the service selection information is transmitted from one of the plural receiving apparatuses, the host selects such a service fitted to the selection information, and then transmits the selected service to the receiving apparatus. Alternatively, data for specifying a service selected by the host, for example, a service name, and an address may be transmitted as a response. As previously explained, since the host can selectively provide such a service suitable for the user from all available services based upon the present utilization information of the services, even a user who has no specific target service can be easily provided with access to suitable services.
The present invention stores addresses of IRC and other internet services. Therefore, such services can be easily identified by a user since the present invention includes stored addresses. For example, a provider of the Internet, and a provider of an interactive broadcasting program may easily be incorporated into the present invention since the stored information is regularly updated.
In the present invention, data stored in a receiving apparatus and data stored in the host are used to identify appropriate services for the receiving apparatus to access. Further, the data stored in both the receiving apparatus and the host include a great deal of information, such as user attribute which includes, for example, an age of a user, a sex thereof, and an occupation. Further, the utilization place data includes, for instance, a country to which a user belongs, a region where a user lives, and an address where a user lives are specified. The user data set with this data and the data compiled in the host provide detailed means for determining appropriate services for a user to access. Since the content of the user data set is detailed, more appropriate services can be identified for a users use.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings where like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout.